T.I. Reflects on Daughter Controversy and Says He Has Learned to Listen More

Rapper T.I. is looking back at one of the biggest controversies of his career.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, T.I. spoke about the backlash he received in 2019 after saying he took his daughter Deyjah to yearly gynecologist visits to "check her hymen" to make sure she was still a virgin. The comments were made on the Ladies Like Us podcast and were widely criticized. The podcast episode was later deleted, and T.I. later apologized during an appearance on Red Table Talk.

Looking back on the incident, T.I. said he has changed.

“I’ve learned not to do as much talking as I do listening,” he told PEOPLE. He also described the controversy by saying, “That sucked.”

T.I. said his family was filming their reality show, T.I. & Tiny: Friends and Family Hustle, when the controversy happened. He explained that the family experienced the situation in real time, and later had to relive it when the episodes aired.

Today, T.I. says he sees the reality show as a collection of family memories. He enjoys watching old episodes to remember special moments with his wife, Tiny, and their children as they grew up.

The rapper also shared his thoughts on parenting. He said parents should have faith in the values they teach their children instead of letting fear guide them, especially as their children become more independent.

He added that he often sees himself in his children and understands the questions and opinions they have because he remembers being their age.

T.I. is currently on the King Succession Tour with his sons, Domani and King. The tour is scheduled to end in San Francisco on August 15.